With the Costello/Roots collaboration Wise Up Ghost unleashed onto the unsuspecting public, Costello came to the home turf of Jimmy Fallon’s late night show to perform “Walk Us Uptown.” Costello sings like a man reborn, probably invigorated by the fact he’s backed by one of the tightest musical collectives in recent memory.
Questlove’s technique and precision is often compared to a drum machine. Here, it seems like the rest of the band is catching on, as horns, guitar, drums, the whole damn thing works together like a well-oiled spoke. For as much guff as The Roots caught when they first took the Jimmy Fallon job, they’ve turned that stage into their own personal playground, creating unique collaborations, remixes, and redefining what it means to be a backing band. I mean, they got one of the coolest Englishmen in the world to make an album with them. So have a listen to the track above, then hear Costello speak about the collaboration below. Wise Up Ghost is in stores now.
